Pueches miles



(No Model.)

P. MILES.

BARBBD WIRE FOR FENCES.

No. 277,916. Patented May 22,1883.

WLZn e sses UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

rURcHEs MILES, or BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

BARBE-D WIRE FOR FENCES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 277,916, dated May 22,1883.

Application filed August 29, 1882. (No model.)

' To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PUncHEs MILES, of Brooklyn, count-y of Kings, andState of New York, have invented certain Improvements in the Manufactureof Barbed Wire for Fences, of which the following is a specification.

This invention comprises a novel improvement in the structure of wirefence-barbs,

whereby the same are rendered very rigid and permanent, and whereby,furthermore, they are rendered capable of being very cheaply and readilymanufactured.

Figures 1, 2, and 3 are side views illustrating different stages in theprocess of manufacturing the barbed wires 7 according to my saidinvention. Fig. 4 is an edge view of Fig. 3. Figs. 5, 8, and 9 are sideviews illustrating various modifications in my said invention. Fig. 6 isan edge view of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a side view illustrating an additionalfeature of my said invention. The aforesaid figures are on a scalesomewhat larger than is intended to be ordinarily adopted in thepractice of the invention.

In the production of barbed wire according to my said invention the wireA is formed with a loop, B, for each of the barbs to be formed upon thesaid wire, the said loop being substantially at right angles to thelength of the wire, as represented in Fig. 1.' This done, the loop istwisted upon itself, as shown at a in, Fig.2. This done, the outer endof the loop is then. flattened, by hammering, swaging, or

equivalent means, to the form represented at b in Figs. 3 and 4:,thereby bringing the end portion of the loop to a tapering or wedge-likeform, terminating in an edge, a, more or less sharp. The flattened outerend of the loop is then cut to bring the said end to one or morepoints-for example, by two cuts at an angle to each other, as from b toc in Figs. 5 and- 6, or by a central semicircular out, which,iiitersecting the edge of the said portion of the loop, forms twopoints, as represented at f in Fig. 9. The loop may. have a space, g,between its two sides, as represented in Figs. 1, 2,3, 5-,- 7, and 9; orthe twolateral portions of the loop may be brought in'closejuxtaposition, as shown in Fig. 8. By bringing the two parallel portionsof the loop in close proximity, so as to leave no considerable spacebetween them, and then flattening and sharpening the outer end thereof,without the hereinbeforedescribed twisting, a fairly serviceable barbmay be formed; but in such case the wire will be somewhat weakenedagainst longitudinal strain, whereas by twisting the loop, ashereiubefore explained, the end of the lateral portionthat is to say,the part adjacent to the point-is relieved of strain by the interlockingof the parts at a, so that should afracture oc cur adjacent to thepoiut-as, for example, at the line indicated by a in Fig. 5-the wirewill not part, and the barb will retain its pointed or acute character,and still remain capable of operation.

In order that the wirecarryingthebarbformed as aforesaid maybe itselfstrengthened and the part a in a measure relieved of strain, an-

other wire, O, is twisted therewith, as represented in Fig. 7, for useunder such circumstances as may require a wire of great or exceptionalstrength. The snug twisting of the wire 0 with the wire A insures suchfrictional contact of the two that strainupon the wire A will be in agreat measure taken up by the wire 0, and thereby relieve the twistedportions a to a corresponding extent.

What I claim as my invention is A barb for wire fences, composed of anundivided'loop forming part of the wire itself, and having its outerextremity flattened and brought to a point or points, substantially asand for the purpose herein set forth.

PUROHES MILES.

Witnesses RUDOLF BJELLMAN, THOMAS E. OR-ossMAN.

